Yes, that is one liquid fuel source that can be used. I'm afraid almost every fuel source you find out there isn't quite enough to handle all of the energy needs alone though.
I suspect that what Redwolf is suggesting simply cannot happen. We're not going to have any instant "all fossil fuels gone" moment. It's going to be a gradual thing of one country after another slowly running out of easy low-lying fruits on the energy tree. The cost of producing the same amount of gasoline will slowly increase shifting the balance point of the gasoline supply and demand chart. As this happens, one after another, alternate fuels like Ethanol will have a lower price balance point than gasoline.
It won't be cost or ease of conversion alone that will determine the next major fuel source, but a combination of many such factors. I'm sure the auto industry will have a say in it, as will the various energy companies. They'll be able to influence the choice of fuels by making one car cheaper, or one fuel more efficient, or just by plain old marketing (lying) to the public to instill some sort of idea of superiority of one type over another. It'll be like BluRay vs. HD-DVD or Betamax vs VHS, only on a larger scale.
TDP, coincidentally, also would permit use with very mildly modified engines. Like I said before, it doesn't matter if it has the magical "more output than input energy" that they claim with the new plants. Breaking even or perhaps 70-80% efficiency in transferring electrical energy to gasoline would still accomplish the goal of having a portable energy source from longer lasting sources. There's also Biodiesel and any number of other alternate fuel sources already being used in small quantities.
no subject
I suspect that what Redwolf is suggesting simply cannot happen. We're not going to have any instant "all fossil fuels gone" moment. It's going to be a gradual thing of one country after another slowly running out of easy low-lying fruits on the energy tree. The cost of producing the same amount of gasoline will slowly increase shifting the balance point of the gasoline supply and demand chart. As this happens, one after another, alternate fuels like Ethanol will have a lower price balance point than gasoline.
It won't be cost or ease of conversion alone that will determine the next major fuel source, but a combination of many such factors. I'm sure the auto industry will have a say in it, as will the various energy companies. They'll be able to influence the choice of fuels by making one car cheaper, or one fuel more efficient, or just by plain old marketing (lying) to the public to instill some sort of idea of superiority of one type over another. It'll be like BluRay vs. HD-DVD or Betamax vs VHS, only on a larger scale.
TDP, coincidentally, also would permit use with very mildly modified engines. Like I said before, it doesn't matter if it has the magical "more output than input energy" that they claim with the new plants. Breaking even or perhaps 70-80% efficiency in transferring electrical energy to gasoline would still accomplish the goal of having a portable energy source from longer lasting sources. There's also Biodiesel and any number of other alternate fuel sources already being used in small quantities.